No country could willingly say ‘no’ to energy cooperation with Russia - Putin

No country could voluntarily refuse energy cooperation with Russia, the country’s President Vladimir Putin has said amid speculation concerning the future of the South Stream gas project.

“Nobody could
voluntarily refuse energy cooperation with Russia,” Putin
said Monday during a meeting with students in the northern
Russian city of Arkhangelsk.

“The situation is always
complex,”Putin
stated, adding that things are only calm when“humanitarian aid is being sent
to Russia,”but as soon as Russia gets stronger
then the situation becomes more complicated.

“We will always cooperate, and others will cooperate with us,
even actively cooperate, I have no doubt about that,” Putin
noted.

He added that global interest in Russia’s Arctic reserves is
immense. “Without exaggeration it can be said that mankind
will be forced to turn to these reserves, which means we will be
working together. We are not turning anyone away and are actively
cooperating.”

Putin’s comments come after Sunday's announcement that Bulgaria’s
premier Plamen Oresharski ordered a halt to the Russian Gazprom-led South Stream
gas project, which faces pressure from the EU.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also commented on the
issue Monday, stating the EU is guided by a desire to punish
Russia instead of protecting economic interests of its
member-states when it comes to the South Stream gas project.

“Recently we heard from Brussels that negotiations around
South Stream will be halted until Russia recognizes the Ukrainian
authorities. Do you think that is constructive?" Lavrov said
during a press conference with Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki
Tuomioja.

“Brussels is guided by a desire to punish, to revenge, but
not by the natural desire to protect natural, legitimate,
economic and other interests of its member states through the
central EU bodies,” Lavrov stated.

“If we look at this situation strategically, not emotionally,
it will be clear that the South Stream project can’t be canceled.
It’s equally important for Europe and Bulgaria,” Stoynev
said. “I’m convinced that all the issues currently on the
table will be solved.”

In order for South Stream to operate it needs approval from the
EU, which is trying to stall the project until Gazprom complies
with Europe’s Third Energy Package. In Europe, pipelines can’t be
owned and operated by the same company, and according to the law
Gazprom can only hold 50 per cent of the project.

Gazprom’s $45 billion South Stream project, scheduled to open in
2018 and deliver 64 billion cubic meters of natural gas to
Europe, is a strategy for Russia to bypass politically unstable
Ukraine as a transit country, and help ensure the reliability of
gas supplies to Europe.